Nairobi — Over Thirty Nairobi County Cow milk value chain actors among them youth and women involved in milk business have benefited from a training on hygienic milk handling and processing course sponsored by the Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme( ASDSP 11) under the County Food,Agriculture and Forestry Sub Sector at Dairy Training Institute.
Edwin Kimani Wanjiku, a farmer from Mathare and Ruth Kamau from Kasarani are among the young farmers who benefited from the training. They are both involved in cow milk value chain.
Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme( ASDSP 11) is a project under the County Food, Agriculture and Forestry Sub Sector that seeks to transform crop, livestock and fishery production into commercially oriented enterprises that ensures sustainable food and nutrition security. Nairobi County is focusing on three priority areas namely; cow milk, broiler and kale for improved income, food and nutrition security in City County.
The four day training saw the stakeholders trained on hygienic milk production, handling and preservation, legal aspects of dairy business activities, milk testing and cleaning and maintenance of dairy equipment,milk cream seperation and treatment and also pasteurized milk processing, fermented milk and flavoured milk.
Participants also received training on butter, ice cream, yoghurt, mala,cheese and ghee processing.
The County Agricultural Sector Development Support Program Coordinator Mr. John Magu explained that the participants were selected from all the seventeen subcounties with an aim of equiping and empowering them with skills in milk handling and processing.
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Said Mr. Magu," Nairobi County is determined to capacity build and give skills to our youth so as to enable them better their dairy businesses hence increase their income as well give tips to those willing to venture into milk processing business. From here, We expect trainees to use the knowledge gained from the training to better themselves and train others."
Magu thanked His Exellency the Governor Sakaja Johnson for supporting the ASDSP project and ensuring that Nairobi farmers are well empowered in areas of food production and creation of job opportunities through Agribusiness.
Magu also thanked the County Executive incharge of Green Nairobi Ms Maureen Njeri and Chief Officer for Environment and Natural resources Mr Hibrahim Otieno, who is also acting Chief Officer Food,Agriculture and Forestry, whom he said have been in the forefront supporting ASDSP 11 projects to ensure that City farmers involved in kale, broiler and milk production across all the 85 wards improve their businesses and inturn increased income and create job opportunities
The County ASDSP Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Mr. Philemon Lagat encouraged the participants to focus on milk processing value chain, noting that it brings in quick profits.
The trainees expressed their gratitude to the County Government of Nairobi for sponsoring them and equiping them with knowlegde that will enable them improve and expand their milk bisinesses thus making more profits and and creating job opportunities.
